1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of corn kernels, extraction of ingredients from whole corn kernels, the production of processable, extracted whole corn kernels and processed corn products from the extracted whole corn kernels.
2. Background of the Art
U.S. Pat. No. 7,767,836 (Cheryan) discloses a process for removing oil from an agricultural substrate, including a dry grind corn. An ethanol solution with a concentration in the range of from about 90% to about 100% ethanol is mixed with the dry grind corn in a ratio of from about 10:1 to about 1:1 to form an extraction solution including the ethanol solution, oil, and corn solids. The extraction solution is separated into the corn solids and a filtrate, the filtrate including the ethanol solution and oil. The filtrate is membrane filtered, including nanofiltration, to restrain an oil concentrate from the filtrate and pass a permeate of the ethanol solution. The oil contained within the oil concentrate is purified. A process of extracting oil from raw corn, including the steps of: providing a reagent solution including ethanol having a concentration between 90-100%; mixing said reagent solution with the raw corn at a temperature between 50° C. and 90° C. to form an extraction solution comprising ethanol and compounds from the raw corn, said compounds including extracted oil, extracted protein mixture and corn solids; separating said extraction solution into corn solids and a filtrate, said filtrate comprising extracted oil and extracted protein compound mixture; membrane filtering the filtrate to pass an ethanol mixture through the membrane, said ethanol mixture containing ethanol and extracted oil to thereby separate a substantial amount of said extracted protein compound mixture; membrane filtering the ethanol mixture to restrain a substantial amount of said extracted oil for oil collection.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,623,548 and 4,623,550 describe dough that is prepared using pre-gelatinized cereal flours/starches, partially gelatinized cereal flours/starches, and raw flours/starches to form dough having moisture of 40-50% for preparing extruded and sheeted fried snacks. Gelatinization is a function of water penetration into the whole berry, temperature, and time, for a given type of grain. According to U.S. Pat. No. 4,179,527, the gelatinization of wheat starch involves a destruction of bonds in the crystalline regions of starch granules.
In U.S. Pat. No. 897,181, cereal grain or vegetable in whole form is wetted but not cooked and then passed repeatedly between grooved rollers and then baked. Boiling or steaming of the grain or vegetable, it is disclosed, produces considerable change in its chemical quality and a number of the nutritious soluble elements escape to the water.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,462,277, a mixture of cereal flour or grits and water is passed through an extruder to gelatinize the starch while the dough is cooked and transformed into a rubber-like mass. The moisture content of the mixture is 13 to 35%. The continuous U-shaped extrudate is pinched off into segments by cutting rolls to form canoe-shaped cereal products. The separated canoe-shaped pieces are then dried to below 15% moisture.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,512,990 a dough, made from farinaceous materials such as wheat, corn, oats, rice, potatoes, or legumes, is optionally partially or completely cooked with added moisture, to an approximate moisture content of about 30%. After this cooking step, the mixture is rendered homogeneous by passing it through an extruder or a hammer mill, such as Fitzmill. The milled or extruded product is dried to an approximate moisture content of 22 to 24%. The dried dough is then compacted between two rolls to provide a shredding effect and produce a sheet of dough having diamond-like regularly spaced perforations. The sheet of dough is then severed into strips, folded to form small biscuits, which are closed on three, sides and then deep-fried.
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 987,088, 1,019,831, and 1,021,473, corn or another grain is ground and immersed in an amount of water which is limited to that which will be taken up by the grain during cooking. The purpose of this is to preserve in the cooked article the aroma and other properties of the grain, which might otherwise be carried off or dissipated by the evolution of steam or vapor. In these processes, the cooked dough is extruded through a perforated plate to obtain filaments.